Disclaimer: Information in this UPDATE is pertinent to Kiowa County FSA only. Producers reading this and that do not have FSA interest in Kiowa County are advised to contact their local FSA Office.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

This will be the last UPDATE for the year and did the year ever go fast. We wish all our producers and customers a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy 2018. We hope you enjoy time with family and friends.

With the continued dry weather and above normal temperatures, the majority of the state of Colorado was recognized this week on the U.S. Drought Monitor. The majority of the state was registered as a DO - which translates to abnormally dry. I would encourage people to visit the U.S. Drought Monitor website at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/ as there are some informative maps with forecasts for the upcoming year.

2017 HARVESTED GRAIN

Producers who have 2017 harvested grain in storage on the farm are reminded that grain is eligible for a Marketing Assistance Loan with FSA. The loans are nine month loans that can be redeemed any time during the nine months. Requirements to be eligible producers must retain beneficial interest in the commodity which translates to control and title of the commodity.

Control of the commodity - the producer retains the ability to make all decisions affecting the commodity, including movement and sale.

Title to the commodity - producer has not sold, or has not delivered the commodity to a buyer.

If a producer has a contract on the grain, the FSA Office will require a copy of the contract to determine beneficial interest. Interest rate for the month of December is 2.5%. Producers can request a measurement service or certify the number of bushels on the farm.

The 2017 loan rates for Kiowa County are as follows:

Wheat - $2.84 bu.

Grain sorghum - 3.39 cwt.

Corn - $2.09 bu.

The final date to obtain a loan for 2017 crops is March 31st for wheat and May 31st for corn and grain sorghum. Producers who are interested in obtaining a marketing loan are encouraged to call the FSA Office for more information.